Birbal the Wise - IV

Emperor Akbar once ruled over India. He was a wise and intelligent ruler, and he had in his court the Nine Gems, his nine advisors, who were each known for a particular skill. One of these Gems was Birbal, known for his wit and wisdom. The story below is one of the examples of his wit. Do you have it in you to find out the answer?

There was once a blacksmith who used to make spears and shields. He came to Emperor Akbar's court and claimed - "Your Majesty, nobody can make shields and spears like mine. My shields are so strong that nothing can pierce them and my spears are so sharp that there is nothing they cannot pierce."

On hearing this statement, Birbal immediately said, "You lie and I can prove that you are lying." What did he find wrong with the man's statement?

Answer

Birbal told the man - "I can prove you wrong. Let's do a simple test."

The man, supremely confident, agreed.

Birbal said smilingly - "OK, hold up one of your shields and I will pierce it with one of your spears."

The man realized he had been outwitted because both his statements could never be true at the same time. Only one of his statements would hold true under any situation. Shamed to silence, he quietly left the court.Hide